Motivations, benefits and challenges on ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation of higher education institution laboratories

Abstract

Accreditation of laboratories from higher education institutions (HEI) according to ISO/IEC 17025 contributes to meeting national regulatory requirements and to the involvement of countries in foreign trade. Additionally, these laboratories can benefit from the introduction of quality concepts and practices. Worldwide, testing and calibration laboratories from HEI face several challenges toward accreditation. This paper presents and comments on the characteristics, motivations, benefits and challenges toward accreditation of HEI laboratories. Responses to questionnaires sent to accredited HEI laboratories in the American continent showed that the vast majority undertakes tests for external clients, uses standardized methods and performs tests other than those accredited. Institutional decisions, external clients and regulatory requirements were the main motivators for accreditation. Lack of financial resources and lack of personnel were considered the main difficulties, while a preexisting laboratory structure and a motivated staff, the main facilitators toward accreditation. The resulting data allow a better understanding of the characteristics and difficulties of these laboratories. Additionally, this paper aims the identification of strategies to overcome problems faced by laboratories in HEI and research institutes, in order to promote the increase of their accreditation globally.